12.23 @ POR: 21
12.25 CHI: 20
12.28 PHX: 22
12.30 POR: 20
1.1 @ ATL: 10 (L)
1.3 TOR: 34
1.5 @ DEN: 31
1.7 CHA: 22
For all the talk about how dominant we haven't been this season, the Defense is now solidly rated at #1 in the league, and the big leads are starting to happen with regularity.
Kawhi with another DPOY.![]()
I still don't trust this team's interior defense at times, seen a lot of layup drills this season but good to see those stats![]()
MVParker doesn't get enough credit for that team defense, tbh..
Weak compedition and yes interior D weak
Only Cavs and okc this month, the rest is dreck
At least at the eye test it has improved significantly, especially when Dedmon is in the game. Pau has even had some decent defensive spells, he got a couple of nice blocks last game.
Gasol is Spanish, explains his matador defense
Dreck that we weren't destroying earlier in the year. Beating a team like the Lakers doesn't say much, but it sure is nicer to be up by 20+ in the second quarter than to be leaning on Kawhi to score clutch points in the 4th to ensure a win by 2 possessions.
Spurs are the best 3rd quarter team in basketball.![]()
And they've only given up one or two 30-point first quarters in that stretch. I like to see them looking better coming out of the locker room. And they haven't had any more 15 point quarters or 32 point halves since the Chicago loss. Since then, only the Clippers loss was sort of a concern. I thought they played damned well on the road in Atlanta.
There's no doubt that they are playing better ball. The Spurs are clearly one of the top 3 teams in the league, even though they could struggle with the Clippers size. To me, it's all a question of whether Tony and Pau can be good enough against those other 3 teams.
Didn't we completely struggle with that last year?
Hence the shock, though if memory serves it was more like teams from 2013 and 2014 that really shat the bed in the 3rd. Last year we just donkey punched everyone in the regular season.
Top 5 team in every quarter...I guess that happens when you have a 30-7 record.
I'm surprised that we aren't lower for 1st quarters though...we have put up a lot of stinkers.
They have looked better the past month or so, but I am still skeptical as to if this team have another gear in the playoffs..
As long as we are healthy and playing well at the start of the playoffs, I will take the Spurs against any other team.
We start 1sts off terribly but usually recover by the end of the quarter.
It's usually around January where I feel whether or not the Spurs have what it takes to win it all. Last year was a fluke in that Golden State was even better. I'm definitely seeing a big possibility with this team, but lots to still be determined.
We are a head of schedule with so many new bodies. We'll see how we look by the end of the RRT. But team is definitely a contender... Pop and co doing a masterful job.
#1 D despite a chorus of "Pau can't play" and a ridiculous media game of "Is Kawhi hurting the Spurs defense".![]()
Nice post. I remember in 2014 we used to dread 3rd quarters. Problem solved apparently. Now, its slow starts....ever season has its thing....![]()
Yup. Whats funny is I took a lot of time to try and explain pre-season how patience would be needed. It was true but it's been even better than I could have imagined. SA has struggled, but was still winning despite the ups and downs. Now? The team is definitely coming together and you see the results.
It's a damn talented team with a high ceiling and a decent floor all the while no hamstring contracts
Spurs have flaws and who knows how the playoffs go, but no matter what anyone says the Spurs did a damn good job all things considered in the real world.
I don't really mind the slow starts ,it's all about how you finish the game strong, and not how you start it.
Agree 100% RC is amazing. The emergence of Kawhi and the signing of LMA ensured they'rd be no rebuild. But teams still have to gel. Look at Atlanta and how much talent they have and recently had and now its fire sale time. Talent doesn't guarantee long term success if you don't use it right. We're lucky to have the front office and coaching staff we have. You can see the puzzle being assembled before our eyes. Just not sure where they Kyle piece goes yet, and the Forbes piece might be left in the box.
Fit also might be why as good as the Dubs are, they may not be all that much better than pre-Durant. In fact, since their depth suffered, they might be slightly more vulnerable. Of course, we'd have done the same for Durant. (In fact, we killed our "beautiful game" depth to get LMA and re-sign Kawhi and Danny.) But RC did a masterful job getting new talent on good contracts. Even Pau's is short and not overly expensive by modern standards.
Last edited by BillMc; 01-09-2017 at 08:37 PM.
We had a harder schedule to start the season. As we've been playing worse compe ion our defensive numbers have gotten better.
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